


Coffee, Booze, and Scribbled Phone Numbers

by kylorenhasan8pack



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Coffee Shop, First Meetings, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Light Angst, M/M, Military, Pilot Poe Dameron, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-07
Updated: 2019-05-07
Packaged: 2020-02-27 14:53:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18741310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kylorenhasan8pack/pseuds/kylorenhasan8pack
Summary: Poe stops at a coffee shop for a morning pick-me-up. Stormpilot. Oneshot. Modern Military AU.





	Coffee, Booze, and Scribbled Phone Numbers

Poe watches vacantly as the cool, amber liquid from his flask disappears into the steaming cup in front of him. Watching it swirling and blending into its black depths so no one’s the wiser that his breakfast is anything but wholesome feels almost too close for comfort, but what else is new? The smell of coffee and booze is calming nonetheless as he tips it until the last drop drips lazily into the cup with a plop, and then tucks the flask back into his jacket pocket. Reaching for a straw, he stirs the familiar concoction with a sigh, when he hears a surprised chuckle from behind him. 

“You know you’re at a coffee shop, right?” 

Okay, almost no one is the wiser then. 

He glances back to see a man, about 10 years younger than him, with dark skin and a friendly face. He’s wearing an Air Force flight suit, arms crossed behind him casually as he waits for his own coffee order at the counter. Poe’s lips quirk into a bit of a smile when the younger man grins at him, and he shrugs.

“Could use a little pick-me-up. We all need one sometime, eh-” he pauses to look at the patch on the left side of the man’s chest. “Senior Airman Storm? Cool name. Anyway, isn’t that why you’re here? Need a break from the flight line?”

“Finn,” he holds out a hand and Poe takes it, shaking it. “You military?” He scrutinizes him, as if trying to decide if he looked familiar or not. “You don’t have the-uh-” he gestures to his own hair, cut perfectly to regulation.

“Nah, not me,” Poe replies with a quick shake of his head. The barista calls Finn’s name and sets a drink onto the counter. “Anyway, it was nice to meet you, Finn. Enjoy the coffee.”

“Yeah, thanks.” Finn laughs and nods towards Poe’s cup. “You too. Probably more than me.”

He starts to leave, when he stops suddenly and Poe winces. 3…2…

“Wait. Wait, I know you. Don’t I?” 

Poe purses his lips together. “I don’t know, Buddy, do you?”

“No, I do. You’re Poe Dameron. Major Poe Dameron. You were a pilot.”

Poe audibly groans, sighing. He rubs at his temple, staring at his coffee for a moment before pasting a smile back on his face as he looks at Finn. It’s not the kid’s fault he recognized him. Half the people in this military town recognize him and it’s his own damn doing for not moving. That’s what happens when you buy a house with your hard-earned savings and then your career goes to shit.

“That was a long time ago.”

Finn gives him a confused smile, taking a step closer. “I mean, it wasn’t that long.”

“Yeah, well, it feels like a long time to me.”

“Listen, I don’t know you, and I’m not trying to intrude, but you…you’re kind of an inspiration to me.”

Fuck. Poe pauses, taking in a slow breath. Don’t do this, Poe, don’t do it, don’t– “Come on, sit down.” He pulls out the chair on the other side of his table and Finn grins as he sits. “So, what is it? You wanna be a pilot?”

“Wanted to be a pilot. I got to MEPS and failed every color and depth perception test they had. I ended up passing depth later and getting a waiver for my color blindness, but my slot at OTS was gone by then. I decided to come in enlisted, since they said they’d get me the waiver so I could still work aircrew.”

“Loadmaster?”

“Crew chief.”

“Nice. I- that’s great for you, Finn. I’m glad things worked out for you.” He doesn’t really know what to say, but something about the way this kid is smiling, excited about his job, about the military…it’s familiar and it’s nice and damn, he’s just really cute.

“Major Dameron-”

“Poe,” he corrects firmly. Not that ‘Major Dameron’ coming from a handsome face and pretty lips doesn’t really do something for him. Damn. See, this is exactly why he needs to move. He can’t move on from his past life when everything is still right here, flirting with him at a coffee shop.

“Yeah. Poe. I’m really sorry, it’s just, you’re kinda famous to guys like me.”

“Ah, come on.”

“You’re like a war hero.”

“Yeah, well, so are a lot of the people in this town, Finn. I’m no different than anybody else.”

There’s a long, slightly uncomfortable pause as both of them clearly think of the singular difference between war hero Poe and everybody else.

“So why did you get kicked out?”

Poe’s jaw tightens. “Why do you wanna know?” He takes a long swig of his coffee, the espresso masking the burn of the whiskey.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. This whole thing—this is really rude. I’m sorry.”

Poe watches as Finn starts to stand and guilt hits him like a punch in the gut. Great, now he’s gone and made the kid feel bad. It’s bad enough that’s all he does to himself lately, and now someone genuinely nice comes along and- “Hey, hey, no. Sorry. It’s uh,” Poe chuckles awkwardly, shaking his head as he stares down at the table. “Touchy subject. It’s fine.”

“No, seriously. I just barged in on you having coffee and started talking to you about all of this and it’s really not my business. I’m sorry.”

The closer Finn gets to leaving, the more Poe realizes with begrudging acceptance that he doesn’t want to let him just yet. The countdown starts in Poe’s head again, slow and steady, but this time he’s counting down to his own stupid addition he’s about to make to the conversation and looking at Finn’s apologetic expression doesn’t leave any room for him to even argue with himself about it.

“Hey, wait.”

Finn turns back to face him, a hopeful look in his eyes.

“If you have any questions, about flying or getting a slot as an officer or-or anything, you could call me…I don’t know how much help, I’d be.” The way Finn’s face lights up makes Poe’s heart skip a beat and he’s already reaching across the table and grabbing a pen from the younger man’s sleeve to scribble down a number on his napkin. “If you’re serious about it, maybe we could get coffee or you could just shoot me any questions.”

“Wow. Really?” Finn grins, taking the napkin gingerly from Poe’s fingers like it’s a golden ticket. “Thanks. Thank you, Maj- Poe. Thanks a lot. I should…I’ve gotta go, but I’ll let you know.”

Poe smiles, waving him off. “It’s nothing. Good to meet you, Finn.”

“Yeah. Good to meet you too.”

Poe watches his back as he leaves until the coffee shop door shut behind him before turning back to his cup with a long sigh. What the hell is he getting himself into now? He breathes in the aroma of his coffee concoction. Whatever it is, maybe it’ll be better than the stuff he’s been doing for the past year. He can only hope, at least.

**Author's Note:**

> I originally planned for this to be a full work in progress fic, but instead I made it a oneshot. I hope you enjoyed it! Please let me know if you do. :) This is an idea that hasn't left me alone.


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